Walter Harland eBook

for six weeks, as you have done, I shall expect you
to have the parlor warmed and lighted on the first
evening of my return, for I am sure I could not settle
down to every day life all at once.” “Well,”
said Aunt Lucinda, as she seated herself by the lamp,
and took up the knitting-work which was ever at hand,
to fill up the “odd spells” which she
called a few minutes of leisure, “I have made
up my mind that in the future I will sometimes enjoy
myself a little, and visit my friends, instead of
staying at home till I forget there is any other place
in the world but this farm, with its dingy old red
house and weather beaten barn.” “I
am very happy to find,” replied my uncle, “that
you have finally come to the conclusion that we have
but one life to live, for by the way you have worked
and drove ahead for the last fifteen or twenty years,
one would think you had half a dozen ordinary life-times
before you and if you have come to the conclusion that
you have but one, and a good share of that gone already,
perhaps there will be some peace in the house for
the time to come.” My aunt always complained
that her brother had one very serious fault, he was
prodigal of time, and took too little thought for
the future, and on this ground she replied in rather
a snappish voice: “Well, at any rate, if
every one was as slack and careless as you, they would
hardly survive for one life time; and I can tell you
one thing Nathan Adams, this old house has got to
be painted, and that right away, for it is a disgrace
to be seen. I didn’t think so much about
it till since I saw how other folks live. You
needn’t begin, as I know you will, to talk about
the expense. You may just as well spend a little
money for this as for any thing else; and if as you
say ‘we have but one life to live,’ we
will try and spend the remainder of it in a respectable
looking house.” “What color would
you prefer Lucinda,” replied my uncle, “I
suppose it will have to be of the most fashionable
tint. Ah me, this is what comes of women folks
going to visit, and seeing the world; I wonder,”
continued he, with a roguish look at me “if
Aunt Lucinda isn’t expecting some gentleman from
Elmwood to visit her shortly, whom she would dislike
should find her in this rusty-looking old house.
There’s no telling what may grow out of this
visit yet.” “There’s no use
in expecting you to talk sensibly,” replied
my aunt, “but the house will have to be painted,
and that’s all about it.” “Any
thing to keep peace,” replied Uncle Nathan; “and
if you are really in earnest we will see what can
be done about it next week, if this fine weather continues,
for the old house does need brushing up a little,
no mistake.” And this was the way matters
usually ended. To confess the truth, Uncle Nathan
was inclined to be rather careless in matters requiring
extra exertion and confusion; but when my aunt once
took a decided stand, the matter was soon accomplished,
for much as my Uncle enjoyed teasing her, he entertained